Track for toy trains



Nov. 6, 1928.

F. HORNBY TRACK FOR TOY TRAINS Filed March 18, 1926 ATTORNEY PatentedNov. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK HORNBY, or LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, AssIeNon To MEGGANO COMPANY, me,

0]? ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY,

' TRACK FOR Application filed March 18, 1828, Serial No This inventionrelates to toy railway outfits, specifically to an improved type offitting for use in connection with the switch and signal operatingmechanismfor toy tracks.

Great difiiculty has been experienced with toys of this characterbecause of the inability of young boys, for whom they are primarilyintended, correctly to position and firmly to secure in place the switchand signaling mechanism forming an important part of the outfits.Heretofore it has been the custom to place such mechanism directly onthe floor or other surface supporting the track, and more or lesseffectively secure the same in position by tacks or screws. In suchcases incorrect positioning will prevent smooth working of themechanism, the surface is damaged by screw holes, and the position .ofthe parts can not be changed without causing further damage.

The object of the present invention is the provision of simple meanswhereby such mechanism may be carried bythe track it self, the meansbeing detachable and capable of being accurately positioned at anydesired point along the track and there securel held in lace, thusinsuring the most e cient wor ing of the parts.

According to this invention the bell crank lever or levers fortranslating the motion of a rod for the switch or signal gear aremounted on a sole plate which is positioned beneath the rails of thetrack in the manner of a sleeper, and then secured to the rails. Theplate may be detachable and carry a gripping means such as a pivoted camelement or gripping screw or screws, the cam element or the screws beingadapted to close against the rail or sleepers when the plate has beenfixed in the desired position and grip the rail or sleeper by pressingit against a rear abutment which may be a fin or web stamped up from theplate. This abutment may be arranged to engage one side of a rail theopposite side of which is gripped by the cam or screws, or the abutmentmay engage behind the opposite rail of the track. The former arrangementis preferable however, as the gauge of the rails is not disturbed bysuch gripping action. The bell crank or cranks are thus carried from thetrack itself.

In a modification, instead of a detchable sole plate for carrying thebell cranks, a

A CORIPORATION OF NEW YORK- TOY TRAINS.

. 95,521. and in Great Britain March 23, 1925.

short section of track may be provided having a special sleeper to whichthe cranks are pivoted, so that by interposing such section in the maintrack to which it is adapted readily to be coupled the crank levers maybe quickly and accurately fixed near the rails in astandard position.

Apparatus in accordance with this invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawi ngs in which-- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a detchableelement adapted to be inserted under the track rails and grippedthereto, the element carrying two bell crank levers;

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig.- 1;

Fig. 3 an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the cam grip;

41 is a plan of a short section of track having a special fixed sleeperon which a' bell crank is pivoted at each end;

Fig. 5 is a plan of a similar short section with two bell cranks'pivotcdat one end of the sleeper; i

Fi g. 6 is a plan of a switch point operating gear showing the bellcrank pivoted on. a special sleeper; and

Fig. 7 is an inverted plan special sleeper.

In carrying out the invention and referring first to the form shown inFigs. 1, 2 and 3, the bell crank levers 1, for translating the motion ofthe operating rod 2 to the rod 3 on the other side of the track, arepivotediat 4 to a sole plate or sleeper element 5 which is adapted to bepositioned beneath the rails 6 of the track in the manner of a sleeper.The bell cranks 1 on opposite sides of the track are connected by a.

link 11, the pivotal connections 12 being shown as working in curvedslots 13.

The sleeper element is provided with any suitable means by which it maybe gripped to the rails after it has been positioned as desired alongthe track. .In the arrangement shown, cams 7 are eccentrically pivotedat Son the sleeper element, which cams are rotatable by the tails 9. Onthe sleeper element 5 are abutlnents 10 which, when the View of the 1element is a sheet metal stamping, may be be provided; the abutmentengaging behindone rail while thema'mengages theothenra'il.

Such an arrangement, however, is hkel-yto operating gear, the bellcranks always being tho'same standard distance out from the track.

In the modification shown in Fig; the bell cranks l are pivoted on asoleplate 5 inthe form of a special sleeper permanently secured to shortlengthsot rail 6 the sleeper and these rails forming an independentshort section of track: Thebellcranks l are pivoted at 4 tothe sleeper,and connected by a link 11. Such a short section oftrack may beinterposed at anydesired' point in the maize traolcand'v connected 1therewitlr in any well-known manner. Vl hen so'installed, the bell:cranks of the section wili be setat a standard distance outfrom thetraeln In Fig. 5 is shown a short section like thatsof; Eig. 4, butwitha doubleibell crank compensator mounted: at one. end ofithe sleeper.the pull of the rod 2 is converted intosa thrust of rod 3, or viceversa.

InzFigs; G and" 7 the: invention .issshown applied to 2D switcln pointgean. Aspeeial sleeper 5" carrying a bell crank 1 pivoted at 4, atastandarddistance fromnthe track is actuatedibp the rod 2,; the otherarm of the bell crank being connected atildbyalinln 111? totheswitchraib 16'whichisitselflpiizoted at; 17 'on: the next sleeper 18;Tliee-piv-- otaleonnecti'onald ofthe link ll slides in a slot 19, out,inlet-he sleeper 5.. As: the rod 2 is:actuated;insone; or the otherdirection; the switch rail? opens 01' closes the 1 branching; trackrails-16".

With. all the: arrangements described it is ensured that the pivots 4ofthe bellwcrank levers.-,wil1 be readily and yet, accurately set; at a;standard: distance. from.- the track rails, thus eliminating; anynecessity. for

By such arrangement otthecranks carezfa'l lyplotting the posittons forsech v pivota-lconnectionsas"is necessary in tltepresent systems wherethe bell cranks are pivoted to the floor independentl. vof the traelq,further,

these crank pivots einm carried by the" c, y e v.

sleeper elements 0, 5 and 5" and not by the floor 01""Otl'1QI"SUIl'i1CGon which the track is laid, no damage is done to such surface; and,

in addition-to the otherJaelvan/taigesythe track with its attachedelements may be moved about and put in any desired location withtheassua'anceth'at the mechanism is pro erly positioned and that theparalellism o the switch and signal operatin x rods with the rails willbe always maintained.

Having thus described theinvention, the

fol-lowing is'claimed:

L In combination with atrack for tog trains, a sleeperelement adapted tobe s 15 i sitionedwin: any portion 015 the track neat-h therailsf andsecured thereto, said element comprising a plate having pivotallymounted thereonat least onebell cranln lover a adaptedtobe'c'oupledto'an operating rod 39 v for a switch, signal, or=th'e1ike;A

2'. A: detachable element for use in com? L hination with a track" fortoy tea-ins (301 w prising a plate having-1v: bell crank. lever: mountedon each; end tliereof to which a 35 switch or signal: operating rod isadapted to be coupled, a connecting rod betweeir the innen arms-of saidleversmnd al pivoted cam with az co-oporating abutmen b ca ri ied L bythe element adapted toerip" the rails thei ebe 9o tween toseeurethe element to the traeln 3; A:- det aehable element tor use; inmoim binationwith-a tnaek foirt'oy'trains compris--- in ga plate having! a;bellicrank lever mounted on each end thereof to which a sWitch o1sig naloperating rode is: :adapted to) be coupled, a connect-mg rodabetweenthosmnei 'arms of Sitlfil levers, and" means carried by said ele 4 Iniwcombinationnwith in trackfoi toy lbo trains, an element compmsingwplate'having a belhcrank lever pivoted-on each end thereof to whichaswitchor:si-gnal operating roel lis r name to this specification.

